Head and limb rest



April 4,- M L. RxcHARDs HEAD AND LIMB REST.

Filed July 17, 1947 2 Shee'tS-Shee-t l Aprii 49 E950 L. RICHARDS 29502-752 HEAD AND LIMB REST l Filed July 17, 1947 sheets-shame Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEAD AND LIME REST Lillian Richards,y Hollywood,` Calif.

Application July 17, 1947, Serial No". '761,580 2 claims. (o1. 155-4177) ThisY invention relates to a rest which may be used as' a supportk for a persons head, arm, or l'eg, and may also be used by an invalid or a person reclining in bed for supporting a book being read'. It will lalso be understood that the device may be used as a seat for a baby held in a persons lap and put to many other uses for which it may be found suitable.

One object of the invention. is toprovide a support consisting of a metal frame formed of sections pivoted to each other so that the support may be folded and easily carried or placed in a iiattened condition upon a shelf or the like when not in use or a number of the improved supports'folded and stacked when not in use.

Another object of the invention. is to provide a support` wherein the pivotally connected frame sections carry strips of fabric which are looped about end bars of the frame sections and each .strip has its endsl laced together so that it has inner and outer nights which are stretched tight when the frame sections are swung to an opened position.

Another' objectv of the invention is to provide a support having a frame carrying looped strips or sheets of fabric which may be easily removed for washing and thus kept clean and sanitary and suitable for use in a hospital or convalescent home.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support wherein the pivoted sections of the frame are provided with braces of the brake-joint which brace the frame when in the opened position and are adjustable so that the extent to which the frame is opened may be controlled and its height thus adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and may be manufactured at small cost.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved rest.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with portions of the fabric members broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the rest in its folded position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a fragment of the frame in perspective.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified frame construction.

Lil

This improved support or rest is particularly adapted' for use as a rest i'or` an arm, foot or leg of an invalid or person who has been wounded and may also be very' effectively used as a head rest, but it will be understood that it may be put to other uses for which itis found suitable. For instance it could bev used when holding a baby and prevent overheating of the. baby or the pere son holding the baby since the device will be. placed upon the lap and the baby sit upon the device andV thus allow circulation of a-ir.l and pre.- vent direct contact of the baby the lap of the person holding' the baby. Itmay also be used' as a book rest and support a book in convenient position to be read without subjecting' the person using it to objectionable weight.

The support or rest has a body formed of alu-- minum or other suitable light -weight metal and consisting. of companion rectangular frames I. and* 2. which are of'` such dimensions that the frame 2' will t within the frame' I when the device. isin the collapsedi position shown in Figures Ai and 5. Each frame is formed midway the length of its4 side bars with openings which registerand through these openings are passed rivets 3 which hold the two frames in pivotal connection with each other `and per-mit them to be swung to an extended or folded position. Braces 4 limit movement of the frames to an extended position, and these braces are of the brake-joint type and each formed of strips 5 which have their inner ends pivotally connected with each other by a rivet 6 and their outer ends pivotally held against inner side faces of the side bars of the frames by screws 1. The screws 1 are passed through selected ones of the openings 8 formed in the side bars of the frames, and from an inspection of Figure 1 it will be seen that by shifting the braces from one set of openings 8 to another the extent to which the frames may be moved about the pins 3 will be controlled and the height of the support or rest thus regulated. In order to provide space between the side bars of the frames to accommodate the braces when folded washers 9 may be applied to the pins 3 or the outer frame I may have its side bars bent outwardly as shown at l0 in Figure 'i and thus provide space to accommodate the folded braces. Slings I I are carried by the frames and consist of strips of strong fabric which are trained about the end bars of the frames and have their ends folded and provided with eyes or grommets I2 through which laces I3 are threaded, as

tion the strips of fabric forming the slings will be 3 stretched and provide soft slings upon which a foot, arm, leg or head may rest and be comfortably supported upon a wide surface of soft fabric. Since the slings are at upper and lower ends of the frames the device may be set in place for use with either end disposed upwardly and the strip of fabric at the bottom will assist in bracing the frames against opening movement beyond the desired extent. By loosening the laces the length of the upper and lower flights of the fabric strips may be controlled and the upper sling allowed to sag somewhat if so desired. When the strips of fabric become soiled the strips of fabric may be removed and laundered and sterilized and then replaced. If the support is used as a :book rest the lower strip of fabric may rest upon the chest or abdomen of a person in reclining position and a book set at rest upon the upper strip where it will be held in position to be conveniently read.

When the device is used as a support for a head, leg or arm air ymay circuate freely and prevent discomfort by heat which is present when a pillow is used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A support comprising inner and outer rectangular frames formed of stiif metal and each having upper and lower end bars and side bars integrally connected with and of greater length than its end bars, said inner frame passing through said outer frame and having its side bars pivoted to the side bars of the outer frame by fasteners passing through aligned openings formed in the side bars of said frames midway the length thereof, the upper portions of the side bars being formed with a plurality of openings spaced from each other longitudinally thereof, braces for limiting opening movement of the frames consisting of strips having inner ends pivotally connected in overlapped side by side relation to each other and having their outer ends disposed against confronting side faces of the side bars of said frames and pivotally mounted by removable fasteners passing through selected ones of the openings in the side bars, said braces when folded extending longitudinally of the frames between upper portions of their pivotally connected side bars, and strips of flexible fabric trained about end bars of the frames and forming upper and lower flights and each having its end extending towards each other and adjustably connected by laces.

2. A support comprising inner and outer frames each having upper and lower end bars and side bars extending between its end bars, said inner frame passing through said outer frame and having its side bars pivoted to the side bars of the outer frame, said frames being adapted for pivotal movement from a folded position to an extended position in crossed relation to each other, a brace having one of its ends pivoted to a side bar of one of said frames, means for detachably and adjustably connecting the other end of said brace to the contiguous side bar of the other frame, and a strip of iiexible fabric trained about end bars of said frames and forming upper and lower flights and having its ends extending towards each other, and means adjustably and detachably connecting ends of said strip.

IILLIAN RICHARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 547,779 Frantz Oct. 15, 1895 598,698 Crooks Feb. 8, 1898 969,351 La Dow Sept. 6, 1910 1,098,236 Duckworth May 26, 1914 1,211,196 Lindblad Jan. 2, 1917 1,381,845 Kolchinsky June 14, 1921 1,557,813 Derse Oct. 20, 1925 2,197,343 Marx Apr. 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,264 Sweden May 18, 1907 

